LAIE, HAWAII
As individuals go to the “frontier,” they are able to draw near to the Savior, Clark Gilbert said during the BYU-Hawaii campus devotional on Tuesday, Nov. 23.
Drawing from personal experiences in his own life, Brother Gilbert, who is the president and CEO of the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media, spoke of how following the path the Lord wanted him to take — even if that meant moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar — has provided opportunities to learn and grow and draw near to the Savior.
Brother Gilbert shared an experience he had after he moved his family from the east coast to work at BYU-Idaho.
“In a large setting, much like this, BYU-Idaho university President Kim B. Clark taught me a lesson I will never forget,” he said. “At the conclusion of a discussion about changes happening at the university, he made the following statement: ‘If you want to know the Savior, go to the frontier because that is where you will see Him in action. It is at the frontier where He does His work.’
“Suddenly, all of the personal changes and sacrifices seemed less of a burden because I realized the opportunity I had been given. The Savior was inviting me to be part of His work, but I would have to go places I had never been. I would have to go to the frontier myself.
“We all will face frontiers, both personal and institutional. Part of what will impact our ability to grow in life will be our willingness to leave the familiar and to journey to the frontier. When those frontiers are the Savior's, we will also be granted the opportunity to know Him, both because we are doing His work, but also because something changes in us when we let go of ourselves and follow Him."
Institutional frontiers
"Institutions themselves have frontiers," Brother Gilbert said. "They change and evolve as the Lord needs to do His work."
Brother Gilbert spoke of instances in Church history — the restoration of the gospel and the pioneers moving west — as new frontiers where individuals could come closer to the Savior.
"Many of the early members of the Church struggled to let go of traditions and well-learned patterns of religious practice," he said. "Even when they received a testimony of the restored gospel, members were asked to forgo the familiar to follow their faith."
For many of the early Saints, gathering with other Church members meant leaving well-known circumstances and on some occasions losing the support of family or professional associates. For many it meant learning new ways of religious organization and a new book of scripture.
"Not everything went smoothly," Brother Gilbert said. "Those early years were without question a season of discovery and learning for the entire Church. But the Lord was wise and knew where He was taking the Church. They let go of what they knew for something better. Today we are blessed for their path-breaking efforts.”
It is through moving to the frontier that individuals are able to know the Savior in a way they wouldn’t be able to otherwise, Brother Gilbert said.
"Indeed, when the Lord is near to us through His work on the frontier, He has called us to be near to Him," he said.
Personal frontiers
"History is full of courageous men and women who were willing to leave the familiar and journey to the frontier," Brother Gilbert said. "I am sure there were those who were afraid to make the voyage. There were almost certainly others who stayed back because they did not want to disrupt the familiar patterns of a comfortable life. Maybe it was more than just familiarity. Maybe leaving home meant leaving position and status to learn new skills and new ways of doing things."
Looking to the Book of Mormon, Brother Gilbert spoke of Nephi and his family's journey to the wilderness and to the Promised Land. Although Nephi lacked the tools, experience and skills to construct a ship, he was able to go to the frontier and do what the Lord asked him to do.
"When we go to the Lord's frontiers we are not relying on our own understanding," Brother Gilbert said. "If we go to the Lord's frontiers, He will take us to places we could never imagine, only if we recognize our dependence entirely on Him.”
Brother Gilbert spoke of two things — pride and fear — that can interrupt change, and moving to the Lord’s frontiers.
“Each of us will face our own personal frontiers. In these moments, we will have to decide whether we are willing to go where the Lord will lead us or whether we will stay where we are comfortable and content.”
Finding peace amidst change
To become the kind of person the Lord would have us be, we will all need to change, Brother Gilbert said. Change is necessary in becoming something more than we are today.
“The very nature of the frontier means we cannot fully know beforehand how the landscape will change as we move into the unknown,” Brother Gilbert said. “This will require us to trust the Lord before we can see how His plan will unfold.”
Just as the Jaredites in the Book of Mormon trusted in the Lord as they were tossed upon the waters while traveling to the promised land, individuals today must remember that the Lord is in the mighty winds, pushing people in the right direction.
“You and I will receive repeated calls throughout our lives to be something more than we are today,” Brother Gilbert said. “The call to our own personal frontiers will require each of us to change our very nature. When those opportunities come, we can choose to stay where we are or we can move to the frontier. But when we commit to following the Savior, we also receive the promise that He will be there with us, helping us become who he needs us to be. That is the miracle that happens on the frontier.”
